Microbial keratitis is a sight threatening disorder associated with multiple risk factors, including use of extended wear contact lenses, ocular surface disease, ocular surgery, immunosuppression and traumatic ocular surface events, particularly prevalent in developing countries. Among pathogens, the Gram-negative bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) remains a leading cause of contact lens induced microbial keratitis, and infections result in ocular pain, stromal destruction, corneal thinning and/or perforation, leading to vision loss, if untreated.
Intensive antibiotic therapy is used to treat the disease, but with emerging antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa and other pathogens, there is a continuing need for compositions and methods for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of bacterial infections, such as P. aeruginosa infections.